Suture package



June 30, 1953 s. B. BRADSHAW 2,643,765

SUTURE PACKAGE Filed Sept. 24, 1949 fi INVENTORi Patented June 30, 1953 SUTURE PACKAGE Sidney B. Bradshaw, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Armour and'Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 1 Application September 24, 1949, Serial No. 117,530

My invention relates to an improved easily opened suture container for the storage and shipment of sterilized surgical sutures.

Requirements of surgical asepsis demand that suture materials be transported and stored in sealed germ-free containers; In addition, however, the containers must be easily opened to afford access to the suture material without contamination and without tending to break or weaken any portions of the suture. Moreover, the container must protect the suture from damage during transportation or due to undesirable sharp bends or knots incident to packing.

Heretofore it has been common practice to package surgical sutures in sealed glass tubes containing alcohol or like antiseptic carrier. These packages have secured asepsis at the expense of other desirable characteristics. In particular, the tubes can be opened only by breaking the glass, an operation that is not only hazardous to the nurse or other person opening the tube but, in addition, complicates withdrawal of the suture material since sharp edges naturall surround the broken end of the tube. 1

The difiiculties inherent in opening a glass suture tube are increased by the necessity of maintaining asepsis. Rubber gloves must be worn and all the objects with which the tube comes in contact must be completely sanitary. The natural tendency of users of the tubes is to sacrifice sterility and take the risk of possible damage to the suture material to facilitate opening the tube, a common practice being to encase the tube within a towel and strike the towel with a heavy object to break the tube.

In accordance withthe present invention an easily opened sterile suture container is defined by a pair of thin flexible metal disks having mating skirt portions. A gasket is sandwiched between the disks to define a vacuum tight'seal. The suture is retained adjacent the skirts by a suitable carrier. After the suture, carrier, and mating disks are assembled and the space filled with a suitable antiseptic carrier fluid, the unit is placed in a vacuum chamber which withdraws all air and causes the mating disks to flex inwardly. Vacuum seal holds this condition of the carrier until use of the suture. When a suture is to be used, the disks are slightly twisted relative to each other or pierced to break the vacuum and the suture is then easily removed.

It is therefore a general objectof the present invention to provide an easily opened suture container capable of carrying sterile sutures in a sanitary manner.

2 Another object of this invention is to provide an improved easily opened suture container that protects the suture against physical damage.

position by the carrier l6. ure 5, this carrier has four outwardly extending a circular coil adjacent A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved receptacle for the suture container of the present invention.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularityin the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operationmay best be understood by 7 reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in

i which:

Figure 1 is an axial cross-sectional view with parts'in elevation showing a dispensing and shipping receptacle with a plurality of suture containers of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through axis 2-2, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an axial cross-sectional view of the suture container of the present invention before vacuum is drawn;

Figure 4 is aview like Figure 3 but showing thecontainer after vacuum is drawn;

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the container; and, I

Figure 6 is a top plan view showing the suture carrier with a suturecontained therein.

' tending to puncture the same.-

The disks ill and I2 are made of metal, such as 28 gauge aluminum sheets. Alternatively plastic or other material may be employed. The disk H! has a circular outwardly extending rib lllc to increase its flexibility. Flexibility of disk I2 is increased by the depressed circular portion The suture S is wound in a circular coil and rides adjacent the skirt portion ll] of the inner member ID. 'The suture is carried in this As shown in Figarms Ifia, each bent over the suture S at its end as shown at 16b. The suture is thus confined in the skirt portion l 00. of the member ID. v

placed in a vacuum chamber where air is with-., J

drawn. This causes some of the liquid carrier to escape and flexes the members I and 12 from the condition of Figure 3 to that of {Figure 4* where they may even touch at, their centers. At this time the suture container is free of air and,

in addition, contains only a rather. small amount 'release' 1th'e; :vacuurn. The. members it! and i 2 flex -easi1ytt0rdestroy the vacuum and ,permit :membe-rsri-Ei gand- 12 to ;be;separated. 1 Alternatively, :the :vacuum-qmay be-broken by piercing member 89 or member 12. This-maybe :accomplished by forceps having a sharpprong capableof-piercing one of these members.

-=Erefenably :the -material of the suture container has a highridegree'iof flexibility'so that it oupsxsubst'antiallyunder air pressure as-shown in Figure 4. The container then indicates --whether -ithas-beenopenedor leaks by the tract that the members it and l 1 2y expand from the flexed condition of Figure 4 tothe ,unflexed con- -ditic1rof 'Figure ;3. The user :can instantly observe whetherathe suture; is sterile and ready f or :use: by "noting r that the container is still sealed by vacuum. rsince itqis only necessary to break the vacuum seal =o'f-'the container-to-open it, there'is no danger to the person using the container and,

to external blows.

- Figures 1 and 2 show a convenient receptacle to shipa'nd dispensathesuture containers of "the "preseiit'in'vention while keeping the outer surface of the containers'sterile. As indicated, this receptacle is defined by an elongated cup l8 havinga threaded portion i8a, adjacent its upper lip. The cup is slightly greater in diameter than the suture containers to receive-the lift rod'20. 'At its bottom end this roddefines "a 100 5101 to engage and lift "the suture containersand at itstop end it is bentto define thehorizontal"hook'illb. a

For shipment, the receptacle 18 receives 1a threaded cap (not shown) to retain'its contents.

4 After shipment this cap is replaced by the cap 22 which is sterilized prior to being placed on receptacle l8. This cap merely rests on the upper lip of the receptacle and has a handle 22a to facilitate removal. A vertical hook 221) depends from and links with the hook 201) of lift rod 20 so that the lift rod is raised when the cap 22 is'lifted. The hooks 20b and 221) are placed in the linked condition by resting cap 22 over the receptacle with the hook 221) aligned with the cap 280 of hook 291) and then rotating the cap tolinkthe hooks as shown. The receptacle l8 contains sterile alcohol or .somedike antiseptic fluid during shipment and storage; When it is desired to remove a container, the top 22 is lifted, thus automatically .raisingrthetop,container above the fluid level. The top container may then be removed for use as described above. 20 While I have shown and described a specific embodimentof my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish :to be limited thereto and that by the appended claims I intend to 1coverall-modifications and alternative construc- -tions-; falling within-the true spirit and scope of .myinvention. 7'

What; claim as newand desire to secure ,by Letters .Patent of the United States is:

; 1-. An easily opened rcontainer containing a sterilized surgical suture, comprising a pair of manually twistableplates having inwardly turned skirt portions, one of said plates being slightly larger than the other of said plates and the skirt portionsof the largenof said plates; receiving the skirt portions of thesmallerof said plates, thereby providing a small chamber between said plates, a gasket disposed about the innerperipheral portion of the larger of'said plates "so that the lower edge of the-skirt of-the smaller of'said plates -bearson said gasket, 'asterile surgicalsuture coiled within-said chamber so asto leave the central region .of said chamberopen, the central portions of said plates be-ing flexed towards each other under the-forceof' atmospheric pressure-so *thflt the :loweredgeof, the skirt of the smaller of said plates-sealably engages said gasket, whereby'said'sealable"engagement can be broken by -merelygrasping=said container between the hands and applying a twistingforce to change the contours of said'plates:

An easily opened container containing e. sterilized surgicalsuture, comprising a pair. of ;.manually twistable diskszhaving'inwardlyturned annular skirt portions, one of said disks being of a slightly smaller diameter than the other f said disks, the skirt-portion of the smaller of saiddisksbeing received-inside of the skirt portion of the larger of said disks, thereby providin'g'a small circular chamber between said disks, iag-asket disposed about: the inner peripheral portion of==the la-rgerof l-said disksso that the lower edge-ofthe skirtotthersma'ller of said disks bears on -:said-gasket;-:a sterile surgical suture coiled within: said chamber so: as to leave the central region of -saidchamber open, the central-portions 'of rzsaididisks being iflexed towards each other-under the force of atmospheric pressure-so -.tha-t=the lower edge of'the skirt of the 'smaller'of :said disksiis held inair-tight engagement-with said=gasket,=-said container being manually twistable to changethe-contours of said disks, wherebysaid air-tight-seal can be broken and said container opened byemanually twisting said 'diskstto change-their relative alignment.

3. An easily opened container (containin .a

sterilized surgical suture, comprising a pair of manually twistable disks having inwardly turned annular skirt portions, one of said disks being of a slightly greater diameter than the other of said disks, the skirt portion of the smaller of said disks being received inside of the skirt portion of the larger of said disks, thereby providing a small circular chamber between said disk, the lower edge of the skirt of the smaller of said disks being rounded to provide an arcuate annular contact surface, an annular gasket disposed about the inner peripheral portion of the larger of said disks beneath said contact edge of the skirt of the smaller of said disks so that said contact edge seats on said gasket, the larger of said disks having a depressed circular portion inwardly of said gasket extending toward the smaller of said disks, a sterile surgical suture coiled within said chamber so as to leave the central region of said chamber open, and an antiseptic carrying fiuid within said chamber and substantially covering said suture, the central portions of said disks being flexed towards each other under force of atmospheric pressure so that the contact edge of the smaller skirt portion is held in air-tight engagement with said gasket and said disks are contiguous at their centers, said container being manually twistable 6 to change the alignment of said disks relative to each other, whereby said air-tight seal can be broken by merely grasping said container between the hands and applying a twisting force.

4. The suture container of claim 2 in which there is also provided a suture carrier adapted to fit snugly within the innermost of said disks and having bent over portions to confine the suture to the space adjacent the skirt portion thereof.

SIDNEY B. BRADSHAW.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,842 White May 20, 1924 544,967 Day Aug, 20, 1895 1,155,447 Saunders Oct. 5, 1915 1,610,607 Hirsch Dec. 14, 1926 1,718,078 Ritchie June 18, 1929 1,906,593 Higgins May 2, 1933 1,946,872 Muhleisen Feb. 13, 1934 2,212,804 Wynings Aug. 27, 1940 2,279,155 Wright Apr. 7, 1942 2,470,494 Kennison May 17, 1949 2,506,362 Hoffmann May 2, 1950 

